Friday, 15 March 2019

Enroute from Manila to Hong Kong

Because almost half the crew of the Westerdam is from the Philippines, today is a happy time on the ship, as she welcomes on board families ready for joyous reunions with their loved ones. Unlike in the US, ship personnel don’t worry too much about having visitors on board, although security is still very strict.

And just a short note about climate change—really weather change: In just 12 days I have traveled from the low 40s in Shanghai to the high 80s and even higher humidity here in Manila.  Although I did spend this morning walking through the old Spanish section of Manila, Intermoros (a very short distance from the port), the heat and humidity were not pleasant, so I called it a day after several hours to return to the now-frigid air of the Westerdam.

Tuesday, 12 March 2019

Taipei Part Two

When I left you in Taipei at the end of the previous blog entry, I was riding the metro toward Bao'an Temple, a series of gorgeously decorated worship halls first built in the 18th-century, and meticulously restored over the past two centuries.  Bao'an's main deity is a god of medicine, and locals flock here to pray for good health or miraculous cures.

Tourists flock here to see the most miraculous decorations along the roof lines, including this magnificent bejeweled octopus:

Main Temple Building

A Smaller Worship Hall, Much Like the Side Chapels in Catholic Churches

Another Worship Hall Containing Five Smaller Rooms

Conveniently across the street from Bao'an, is the Confucius Temple, built in the late 1920s.  Rather than worship halls, this temple displays the history and philosophy of Confucianism in its many decorated rooms.

Painting of Unicorn, a Symbol of Confucianism

Historic Worship Bell, Still in Use

An Elderly Artist Painting Birds on Small Canvases

Colorful Beams Decorate the Eaves

From the religious side of life to the commercial, I travel the short cultural and walking distance to Dihua Street, a passageway known for its plentitude of signs and traditional shops and cafes.  This is one of the few places in Taiwan where the older ways of life are still practiced, and bargaining is the primary commercial discourse.

But the day is moving on and it is time for a taxi ride back to Taipei 101 to meet the bus that will take passengers back to Keelung and the ship.  Taxis are plentiful, metered, and relatively inexpensive, although the drivers speak very little English.  Taipei 101 is well-known to everyone, so I have no trouble communicating my destination to the driver.

Back in Keelung, the Westerdam prepares to sail for its next port in Taiwan, beneath the watchful eye of a very large alabaster white statue of Buddha, part of a temple complex built on the hill above the port.

Not the Westerdam, but a Taiwanese Cruise Ship Waiting to Sail

Temple Complex Above the Port

Buddha Blesses Those About to Sail

Leaving the Port at Keelung

The next blog will take us all to Kaohsiung (pronounced cow'shung), Taiwan's largest port and second largest city.